Aortic dissection masquerading as a bicuspid aortic valve

Abstract

A 37-year-old male presented to the Emergency Department with acute worsening of back pain and new onset dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed moderate left ventricular dysfunction and a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). In addition, he was noted to have a dilated thoracic aorta concerning for a dissection, severe aortic insufficiency (AI), and both a pericardial and pleural effusion. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a Type A ascending aortic dissection. He was taken emergently to the operating room for repair. An intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography examination was performed which revealed a normal trileaflet AV with a Type A aortic dissection flap masquerading as a BAV. The dissection flap interfered with both the valve's function, causing severe AI, as well as the valve's appearance, causing it to look bicuspid on echocardiography.

Keywords

• Bicuspid aortic valve
• transesophageal echocardiography
• Type A aortic dissection